The Best Laid Plans
by Laurus Nobilis
Summary: G1. With the end of their studies at the Academy approaching, it's time to make plans for the future. And, in Starscream's opinion at least, it's also the perfect moment to get Skyfire properly overcharged for once.


**The Best Laid Plans**

"Fully qualified scientists," Starscream said, savouring each word. "About time."

That most certainly deserved celebrating. The end of their studies was important enough that Skyfire had finally - _finally_ - agreed to go drinking with him. _Actual_ drinking, even. Of course, they often went out for a cube or two, sometimes with other friends, sometimes just the two of them. But he had never managed to get Skyfire properly overcharged, and he was not going to leave the Academy without accomplishing that feat. It had taken quite some effort to convince him, but here they were now, perched on a deserted building's rooftop and with enough high-grade to make even a shuttle lose all direction systems.

"Well, almost," said Skyfire. "There are still a few more exams to go."

"Oh, come on, don't tell me you're worried about _exams_. They're just a formality."

In spite of his harsh tone, Skyfire smiled, his expression gentle as always.

"I suppose you're right."

It still felt a bit strange, how his friend managed to understand what he _really_ meant. It had been unnerving, at first, to realize that he had somehow opened up enough to let someone know him that well. But now… well, he was used to it, mostly. And it had its advantages. It was good to know that Skyfire could understand 'you've got talent and I'm sure you'll do fine' without him having to _say_ it.

"I'm always right," said Starscream, with a cocky grin. He passed a cube of energon and then took one for himself. "And I'm right about the wonders of high-grade, too. You'll see."

"I've told you already, Stars. I don't think this is going to work." Starscream was going to protest, but Skyfire went on before he could say anything. "I just… don't get overcharged."

"You _will_," he insisted. "It's just a matter of patience. You need to have the right quantity."

Skyfire gave him in amused look.

"Do you have any idea of how much 'the right quantity' is for someone my size?"

"Well, that's what we're going to find out, isn't it? Think of it as an experiment."

"Oh, of course. For _science_."

"… you really should leave the sarcasm thing to me, you know. You're not that good at it."

"You better not be telling me to shut up and drink, Starscream."

"No, I'm telling you to drink and talk and be ridiculous and have fun. That's why we're here."

There was a pause in which Skyfire just stared at him, clearly not too convinced, but Starscream just gave him his most innocent look. Well, no, the _second_ most innocent. When he overdid it, it just went right back to suspicious. But he wasn't hiding anything, for a change – mostly because his nefarious plan of the day was already out in the open – and Skyfire knew him well enough to tell. The shuttle seemed to relax at last.

"Fine," he said. "But I still think it won't work."

"You are _so_ boring sometimes, did you know? At least _try_."

"I already said 'fine', didn't I?" Skyfire replied, picking up his energon cube. "I'm just warning you so you won't get your hopes up."

"Oh, stop being so _sensible_ and drink already," said Starscream.

He took a large sip from his own cube, to give the example, and stared. His friend let out a sigh that was somewhere between amused and resigned, but then he finally gave in and took a sip of his own. Starscream allowed himself a triumphant smile.

Then he started talking nonsense as if nothing had happened. There was no point in just sitting and drinking in silence, after all. That would ruin the whole 'having fun' thing. Besides, if he could keep Skyfire distracted enough, he might not give a lot of thought to how much high-grade he was having…

He couldn't suppress a mischievous grin, and then pretended that he had remembered a funny anecdote about one of their classes, so it wouldn't be _too_ suspicious. He wasn't sure if the shuttle truly believed him, but at least it was a successful way to change the subject. They talked about their classmates, their professors – the good, the bad and the downright crazy – and their most… _eventful_ moments in the laboratory.

Time passed, their supply of high-grade decreased considerably, and Skyfire remained quite sober. Starscream found that he didn't mind it all that much, after all. They _were_ having a good time. And perhaps it also helped that he was beginning to feel a little lightheaded. To the point that he started to come up with deep and meaningful questions, even.

"So, what are you going to do from now on, Mr Qualified Scientist?" he asked, waving his half-empty energon cube. He had stopped caring about how many he'd had a while ago.

"I'll probably start as a lab assistant," Skyfire said, thoughtful. "There are a few positions opening right here at the Academy… I think I'll apply to the Astronomy section. I've heard the research they've been doing lately is interesting-"

"I don't mean the _boring_ parts," Starscream interrupted him. "Yeah, we're all gonna get stuck cleaning labs and doing paperwork now, but what do you _really_ want to do? When you get to choose?"

Skyfire hesitated for a moment. Oooh, this had to be good. In all this time, he had never said anything about his plans for the future, if any. Starscream had always assumed it was simply because his friend didn't _have_ any plans. He was the kind of person who was quite content with what he had – which was something that made Starscream's processor glitch just trying to understand it, yes, but that seemed to be the case.

Or so he'd thought, at least. It was obvious now that Skyfire had _something_ he was aiming for, and that it was important to him. He was gazing at the stars with a ridiculously dreamy look on his face, and his voice was full of longing when he spoke again.

"I'd like to go into space," he said at last.

… which made no sense _at all_. That was it? The big reveal he had been waiting for? Talk about disappointing.

"Of course you'll go into space," Starscream snorted, not even bothering to hide his frustration. "It's what shuttles _do_."

Seriously, what kind of answer was that? The idiot was _built_ for space. He'd end up there one way or the other, no matter what kind of job he did. That had to be the least useful reply ever. But Skyfire just chuckled and shook his head at him.

"No… I don't mean just as transport," he said. "I'd like – I want to _learn_ out there. I want to see uncharted planets and explore and discover things…"

Starscream's optics widened as he listened. If that meant what he thought it did…

"You want to lead your own expeditions," he said, and he felt a surprised smile creep onto his face. "And here I thought you had no ambition whatsoever."

"Well," Skyfire said, with an amused grin, "not all of us are as loud."

"Still," Starscream went on, shocked enough to ignore the slight jab. "Expedition leader. You aim _high_."

"You don't have to look so surprised," his friend sighed, sounding a little bashful again. He got embarrassed fast, didn't he? He wasn't used to show this side of him. Which was a pity. Starscream quite liked this more ambitious aspect, he decided.

"I have every right!" he laughed. "Expedition leader, who would've thought-"

"Starscream…"

"I think you'll get there," he said, and then immediately wondered if he hadn't had too much of that high-grade. He didn't _say_ those things. Not aloud. And judging from the look he was giving him, Skyfire was wondering the same.

But, instead of calling him out on it, his expression softened into a gentle smile. And then he mercifully changed the subject.

"And what about you?" he asked. "What do _you_ want to do?"

"Me? I'm gonna be the greatest."

"Greatest what?"

Starscream just looked at him and smirked.

"The greatest _ever_."

"… I think you've had a bit too much to drink already," his friend said, amused.

"Why would you say that? It makes _perfect_ sense!"

Skyfire laughed at that. It was warm and rich and usually one of his favourite sounds in the world. But it wasn't the reaction he was expecting _now_, and he took offense to it.

"You don't think I have it in me, do you?" he snapped, his voice harsh and cold all of a sudden. "Well, I'll prove it to you! I'll _show_ everyone!"

For a moment, his friend just stared at him, taken aback. And then, for some inexplicable reason, he relaxed and smiled. It wasn't even condescending or anything.

"All I think," he said, "is that you need to be a bit more specific."

In spite of all his efforts, Starscream couldn't help it. He just _couldn't_ stay angry when Sky was like that. It was physically impossible. He huffed, annoyed (though mostly with himself by that point), and leaned backwards to lie down on the rooftop, just looking at the stars above.

"… I don't know," he said after a moment. He caught himself vaguely thinking that he probably _was_ a bit overcharged, if he was admitting that out loud. "I want- I want _everything_."

Skyfire just looked at him, thoughtful, before he spoke again.

"That isn't going to make you very happy," he said at last. His voice was quiet. _Concerned_, even. Starscream snorted.

"Well, I can't help it. It's what I want."

For the first time in the evening, the silence grew a bit awkward. He made a point of focusing on his drink, oddly uncomfortable all of a sudden. He hated it when his friend got that look, as if Starscream couldn't take care of himself, as if he was someone to _worry_ over-

"You could come with me," Skyfire said. He turned to face him, startled, and his friend gave him a strangely shy grin. "I mean, when- _if_ I go into space. You should come."

Starscream stared. Then he stared a bit more. That wasn't an offer to be made lightly. And the shuttle still seemed unbelievably _sober_, so… chances were it couldn't be blamed on the high-grade, either. In his state, however, he couldn't quite articulate his line of thought, and ended up asking a simple question.

"… _why_?"

"Well, you _do_ like it, don't you?" his friend replied, confused. It was obvious that it hadn't been the answer he had expected. "I mean… it _is_ true that you like many different things, I know. But you did talk about exploring before. You seemed enthusiastic about it. And I'd like-"

He stopped himself abruptly, as if he'd said something he hadn't meant to. Starscream gave him a suspicious look.

"You'd like what?"

"… I'd like the company," Skyfire said. His smile was soft and gentle, and Starscream couldn't help but feel disappointed when his friend looked away and seemed to stare intently at his energon cube, as if he was embarrassed for some reason.

Still, he couldn't puzzle over the shuttle's inexplicable mood swings right now. He had his own to worry about, after all. And now there was something else in his mind – namely, the idea of himself and Sky, all alone out there in the darkness of space.

It was a rather nice mental image, truth be told. He could see it so clearly… They'd have all the time in the world, travelling like that. No one to bother them. Nothing to think about except science and discoveries. And in the meantime, in those long travels from planet to planet, with nothing to do… well, they'd just enjoy each other's company. He'd like that. Actually, he discovered with sudden clarity, he'd really, _really_ like that.

And at the same time, it was too easy to think of the _other _scenario, the one where Skyfire left with someone else. Some annoying, useless idiot, surely; someone who bored his friend to no end and made the trips unbearable… Or it could be worse. It could be one of their other classmates – it could be someone Skyfire actually _liked_, spending all that time with him while Starscream was stuck on Cybertron for who knew how long, just waiting. The very idea made him irrationally angry.

But the thought of _himself_ in that position… he could do that. He could do that forever.

"Okay," he said at last.

Skyfire just looked at him, as if he had somehow lost track of the conversation while he was focused on his own thoughts.

"Okay," he repeated. "I'll go. As long as you don't get to be my _boss _or anything. Expedition leader, really…"

"A team, then," Skyfire said. He had the most ridiculous smile, so wide and _bright _- and a moment later it waned a little, as reality set in. "Ah, but it doesn't quite depend on us, does it…? We'll need luck. Or to prove that we work well as a team, at least."

Or to pull the right strings, Starscream thought, but even with all the high-grade he'd had he could still tell that it would probably ruin the mood if he pointed that out.

"We _do_," he said instead. "It won't be that hard."

That had most certainly been the right answer. His friend smiled again, and this time it stayed even as he put aside his last cube and stretched his wings a bit.

"Come on," Skyfire told him. "I'll give you a ride home."

"I don't _need_ a ride!" he replied, snapping at him on principle. "I can fly perfectly well on my own."

"You can barely stand up, Starscream."

"Well- well _you_ had just as much energon as I did!"

"True," his friend admitted, with a teasing grin. "But I'm not a lightweight."

"I-- _You_-- I'M NOT A LIGHTWEIGHT! You're a freak! A freak who makes totally unfair comparisons! And _don't laugh at me_!"

"I'm sorry," Skyfire said, still chuckling a bit. To his credit, it did seem like he was making an effort to stop. Or maybe Starscream was just too generous. Yes. That had to be it.

"Fine," he muttered at last. He'd never say it aloud, but he had to admit to himself that his balance and sense of direction weren't exactly at top quality right now.

Skyfire was gracious enough not to say 'I told you so' or anything of the like. Instead, all he did was transform and let him in. If Starscream threw himself on the floor a bit too hard, he didn't say anything.

"Why does this bother you so much?" was the only thing he asked. "It's just a ride."

"I'm a _jet_," Starscream replied. It was unbelievable, how he had to point out the obvious. "I don't take _rides_."

"If we were in space…"

"Well, we're not. And this is an _affront_ to my _pride_." He was silent for a while. Then he added, perfectly serious: "You're comfy."

The shuttle shook with laughter, and it took him a moment to collect himself, even with Starscream's offended _Hey!_ to remind him that he was being quite rude.

"Ah. I guess I am. I'm _supposed_ to be."

That made sense, Starscream thought vaguely, somewhat distracted again. It had been a strange evening. Strange, but good. So he hadn't exactly got what he wanted, but… there might just be something else, there. Something _better_.

"I could get used to this," he mused to himself, barely even realizing that he was speaking aloud.

"… yeah," Skyfire said, and his voice was just a gentle whisper. "Yeah, me too."


End file.
